


Never Let Me Go

by Fanficprincess05



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2018-10-16 06:02:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanficprincess05/pseuds/Fanficprincess05
Summary: When all is lost, is it possible to rebuild life in a way you never thought possible?





	1. Year 1 - January

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my friends!  
> It has been an awfully long time since I've posted a fic, and it feels good to be restarting again!  
> I've had a little bit of what you would call "writer's block". Not for lack of ideas, but for lack of words to express said ideas haha.
> 
> I have had this fic in my head for a LONG LONG time now, and I'm so happy to finally be putting it into words!  
> The first chapter is admittedly a bit dry and probably not my finest work, but I hope as the story grows you will enjoy it more. It's a story that spans multiple years and showcases the life and times of Yugi and Kaiba, ups and downs included ;-)
> 
> So to give a little bit of a time reference - this takes place AFTER all of the events of Yu-Gi-Oh the series. Yami is gone, Kaiba is working with his company, and Yugi and friends are in their final year of high school. This would put all of them at 18 years old. I gave Mokuba a five year age difference from Kaiba, putting him at thirteen. I based the names of the characters on the American version, just because it's easier for me to write haha. And yes, sometimes I use the last name, sometimes the first. As the series goes on, Yugi will continue to call Kaiba, well, Kaiba, because We're more familiar with that title.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

_“And in other breaking news this morning, a representative for Seto Kaiba has confirmed that his brother Mokuba Kaiba_ has _passed away. When this happened as well as how have not been released at this time, and Mr. Kaiba’s representative asks that we respect his privacy as he mourns the loss. This tragedy follows Mr. Kaiba’s recent announcement of a new simulation system for the game of Duel Monsters, an upgrade to previous systems he has created in the past. No new revelations have come forth about that project, and it is unknown how the passing of his brother will impact the continuation of developments. What remains to be seen is_ how _Mokuba Kaiba has had his life cut short at the young age of thirteen, and investigations into his death are ongoing. We will keep you updated on this case as more information comes out –“_

Yugi shut off the small television in the kitchen with an abrupt flick, his brow furrowed and frustration evident on his features. He had heard rumours that Mokuba had passed away but hoped with all of his might that it wasn’t true and it was a cruel joke. His heart swelled with sadness for the situation and his mind drifted to Seto Kaiba. Mokuba was his entire world, and the reason for everything Kaiba did in his life. Every action he took, every decision he made and every thought he had was centered around Mokuba, and now that Mokuba was gone..

 _Please, let Kaiba be okay,_ Yugi silently thought, his chest tightening with emotion. _Please don’t let him do anything stupid.._

Footsteps brought him back to reality and he turned to find his grandfather Solomon behind him, entering the room with a small package in his arms. He came up silently to Yugi and placed the package on the table, looking at his grandson with eyes that showed he knew of the story Yugi just heard. He grabbed Yugi and hugged him gently, and although tears stung Yugi’s eyes, he held them back as he leaned his head on Solomon’s shoulder. Coming out of the hug he looked down and saw the package on the table.

“What’s this?” he asked, and Solomon picked it up, placing it in Yugi’s hands. It was a care package, filled with cookies and chocolates and a letter, which Yugi assumed was penned by his grandfather. His face must have held confusion, for he could hear Solomon chuckling.

“But grandpa, why? You never cared for Kaiba, after what he did to you way back when. You know, putting you in the hospital? Ripping your precious card? Why would you want to reach out to him?” Questions plagued Yugi’s mind, but his thoughts were interrupted by his grandfather’s sigh.

“The power of forgiveness is a strong one, Yugi. I’ve moved on from all that, since it was so long ago. Kaiba has a tough exterior, and he comes off as rather..rough, that’s for sure. But a loss is a loss, made worse by the fact that it was the person closest to him. Nobody deserves to be alone during that time, so hopefully this package will let him know that although he may think he is, he has us by his side. Deliver it to him after school, alright?” And with that, he made his way downstairs to open his game shop, starting the business day.

Yugi stared at the package for a short moment and smiled as he thought about his grandfather and what a compassionate person he was. He tucked it away in his backpack for later and ran downstairs to meet his friends and head off to school.

~

“See you after school, Grandpa!” Yugi yelled as he ran out of the game shop, Joey’s blonde hair evident through the glass of the door.

“Have a good day at school, and don’t forget to deliver the package!” Solomon yelled as the door slammed behind his grandson.

“What package is your granpda talking about, Yug?” Joey asked, giving Yugi a high five and starting off towards school, Tea and Tristan also with them.

“It’s for Kaiba..” Yugi muttered, looking down at the ground sadly as he continued to walk.

“Oh yea, I heard about Mokuba this morning, it’s so awful! Poor guy, he must really be hurting right now,” Tea said sadly, her eyes shining, the wetness evident. Tristan scoffed next to her, and Tea and Yugi snapped their head in his direction.

“Have you forgotten that we’re talking about Seto Kaiba here? The guy’s a jerk! He probably wasn’t even present when it happened, working on one of his newest projects or something,” Tristan said casually, bending over as he succumed to a hard punch in the stomach from Tea. He looked at her in shock, his eyes full of questions towards her action.

“How dare you say something like that! You’re disgusting!” She spat, Tristan’s face turning bright red at the confrontation.

“No, it’s true Tea,” Joey continued, jumping in to defend his friend. “When has Kaiba ever been soft, or caring, or concerned, or emotional? I know he really loved his brother, but do you really think he’d stop working and doing what he does to actually _mourn_? I mean, Seto Kaiba succumbing to his emotions? Seto Kaiba admitting to love and affection? Seto Kaiba crying at a funeral? Kaiba never changes, and never will, and I don’t think even his brother’s death will change that.” Coming up to the school’s steps, he stopped as he realised Yugi was no longer walking next to him and turned to find him a few feet back. He was taken aback at the disappointment and hurt laced across Yugi’s features.

“Yug, what..?” He started in confusion, but was cut off abruptly when Yugi started past him.

“It’s his brother, guys. I don’t care if it _is_ Kaiba we’re talking about. He’s not a robot! How dare you speak about him like that, especially when he isn’t here! I thought you guys were better than that!” Yugi could feel his face heating up and his words getting stronger in anger, so he continued on into the school’s building, leaving his friends behind.

“Yugi..” Tristan continued, but Yugi wouldn’t have any of it. Stopping at the top of the stairs, he turned to have one last look at Joey and Tristan, his disappointment in them sitting heavily in his chest. The emotions of the morning were getting to him and he needed to get away, fast.

“People _do_ change.” And with those words, he ran into the school, heaving a sob as he did so.

~

Yugi sat in the bathroom stall, finally letting the tears he had been holding in flow. He mourned for Mokuba, someone he had come to respect and like, someone who had helped him out when he needed it. How could his life be cut so short? It wasn’t fair that someone with such a zest for life be reduced to a body in the ground, when he should have been out living his life. Why had this happened?

He could feel guilt swell in his chest. Why had he almost bought into the judgement his friends had towards Kaiba? Did he really think that way about Seto as well? Yes, he was egotistical and he treated Yugi and his friends like they were vermin to be exterminated, but he had also been there to get Yugi through the toughest of times. Whether it was Marik and Battle City, or Dartz and his evil bike gang, Kaiba had been by Yugi’s side. And as much as he tried to hide the fact, his support was there, and that helped Yugi grow stronger.

 _He’s not a terrible guy, and he_ does _care when he needs to. He’s been there for me, and this time, I need to be there for him._ Yugi closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he repeated this in his head several times. His friends were wrong this time, he just knew it.

Yugi startled slightly as a knock on his stall broke him out of his reverie. He stayed silent as he heard shuffling outside the door, realising as he stared at the shoes underneath the stall that it was Joey lingering.

“Look, Yugi, I’m sorry about what Tristan and I said before. It’s just hard to support someone you don’t like, and who doesn’t like you back, you know? I should have been more respectful though, I admit that. So can you please come out of the stall now? You’re starting to worry me,” he stated, a hint of concern in his voice. Yugi smiled slightly at the thought.

“Only if you promise to come with me tonight to pay Kaiba a visit,” Yugi said, and he smirked at the silence, feeling the hesitation emanating from his friend outside the door. Opening the stall to face his friend, Yugi smiled at Joey’s face, which showed his internal struggle. Finally, Joey smiled back at him, holding up a thumbs up.

“Fine,” was all he said, heaving a giant sigh as they left the bathroom to head to class.

“Good luck getting Tristan to agree to it though,” he said, and both laughed at the statement.

~

Yugi could not concentrate in class. As the teacher talked about the properties of the elements on the periodic table, he found his mind everywhere but in that classroom. Whispers between students of Mokuba Kaiba’s death could be heard throughout, and with those thoughts of Grandpa’s package swirled through Yugi’s mind. Would Kaiba accept it? Would he toss it away like a piece of torn clothing, belittling the family that delivered it to him? Or would he take it all in, reveling in the warmth that came with it, a small package of compassion and sympathy? His questions took him to the letter wrapped up within the parcel, wondering what Grandpa could possibly have written on it.

His mind in another place, Yugi grabbed a paper and began to write, his thoughts flowing seamlessly onto the paper without effort.

_Kaiba,_

_I know you’re the kind of person who does everything on your own, who won’t accept help from anyone, and who swears by solitude you fight so hard to protect. I also know that death is a curse that grips you hard, shaking your core and turning your life inside out. I speak from experience when I say you will never be the same after it happens._

_I can’t know what you’re going through, or how you’re feeling inside, or even if you’re reacting at all. What I do know is that, whether you realise it or not, you’re hurting and you need a friend. I’m here for you Kaiba, and whether it takes one day, one year, or one lifetime, I will still be here when you’re ready._

_We have all lost today, but not as much as you, and for that I am truly, truly sorry._

_Yugi_

Folding the letter up to put it in the package, he slapped it gently against his mouth in thought. Would his letter reach Kaiba in the way he wanted it to?

 _Only time will tell,_ he thought to himself, placing the letter with the one his grandfather wrote.

~

Stepping up to the gated exterior of Kaiba’s mansion Yugi could feel a chill run down his spine, the winds laced with an air of mourning.

“It feels so..cold and empty,” Tea said, wrapping her jacket tighter around her arms.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Joey said, going up to the doorbell and ringing it.

No answer.

“He’s not home?” Tea said, sounding unsure.

“Maybe he’s working at his office then, like I had _said_ before,” Joey said a little forcefully, but Yugi cut off his point by moving towards the gate and ringing again.

“Even if he’s home, he’s not going to answer, Yugi,” Tea said softly, coming up to him.

“Guys, _look_ ,” Yugi said, pointing to the mansion. Tea and Joey strained their eyes to see what he was pointing to, only to gasp slightly. On the left hand side of the mansion, a room was lit up.

“Someone _is_ home!” Yugi said excitedly. Nobody had answered on the second ring either, so Yugi rang again. “Come on, Kaiba, please answer!”

Still no answer.

“Well this is frustrating! He’s not answering, let’s just get out of here!” Joey growled, shaking the bars of the gate in frustration.

“No! We’re not leaving until my package is delivered!” Yugi said determinedly, pushing his finger down on the buzzer and holding it there. Tea widened her eyes at this brash action and emitted a chuckle, Joey following suit.

“Now they definitely won’t let us in,” she joked.

“Yug, I don’t think I’ve ever said this, but you are quite hard-headed sometimes,” Joey said, patting him on the shoulder in consolation. Yugi chuckled and winked, keeping his finger on the buzzer. It took barely fifteen seconds of this for the front door of the mansion to open, causing Yugi to let go of the buzzer and grab onto the gate.

“Hello?” He yelled at the person, though he could not clearly see who it was. “Kaiba?” The person started coming closer, although on closer inspection it wasn’t Kaiba at all, but one of his butlers.

“You kids are quite an obtrusive bunch, aren’t you? Didn’t you realise after the first ring that Master Kaiba doesn’t want to be disturbed?” The butler growled, seemingly annoyed at the presence of Yugi and his friends.

“Please sir,” Yugi said, bowing down in respect, “We just wanted to see how Kaiba was doing, to make sure he’s alright. Won’t you please let us see him?” He pleaded.

“I’m afraid that is not possible as Master Kaiba is currently…indisposed.” The butler said, his statement leaving no room for further questions. “Please leave now, and stop disturbing us,” he said, turning to go back into the mansion.

“Hey, you don’t have to be such a jerk!” Joey yelled in frustration, going to grab the butler, but Tea cut him off and grabbed Yugi.

“Yugi, the package!” She said quickly, and Yugi jumped up, grabbing the package from his schoolbag and running to the butler.

“Please, sir,” Yugi grabbed his arm and he turned around, grumbling as he did so. Yugi handed him the package and he looked at it in confusion. “Could you please give this to Kaiba for me? I would really appreciate it if you did..” He trailed off. The butler looked at him in disdain before turning back towards the mansion.

“I make no promises,” he said abruptly, slamming the gate in their faces.

~

_“In other news, the investigation into the death of thirteen-year-old Mokuba Kaiba has been dismissed, with police stating they had no reason to believe there was any foul play. No plans for a funeral have been set, and there is still no sign of Seto Kaiba. A week has passed since Mokuba’s death, causing us to wonder when Seto Kaiba will emerge once more, and when we’ll hear more from him. As usual, we’ll keep you updated on any new information we may receive regarding this case.”_

Yugi heaved a huge sigh, placing his head on his hands and closing his eyes. Where was Kaiba? Worry was beginning to plague his mind and he wondered what else he could do. All of a sudden he felt a hand on his shoulder and he saw his grandfather reach over and turn off the television.

“Sometimes, there is nothing else we can do. Once we’ve done all we can, we need to sit back and wait for the other party to respond,” he said wisely, placing a bowl of soup in front of Yugi. “Now eat your lunch,” he prodded, winking at Yugi in the process as he sat down to his own lunch.

“How can you read what’s in my mind, Grandpa?” Yugi said incredulously, sipping on the delicious hot soup and reveling in the warmth, looking out the kitchen window to the cold and rainy day outside.

“It’s not so long ago that your mom and dad left us, you know,” Solomon said, his tone of voice turning solemn.

Yugi put his spoon down , frowning at the statement that his grandfather just made. His mind flashed to the past, when he was about eight years old. His parents had just died, the damage from the car accident they had gotten into being too much in the end. He was left alone, having to move in with his grandfather on top of the gaming shop he owned. Having no parents and being uprooted from his original life was difficult, and despite loving his grandfather, he had a hard time adapting to his new surroundings. Closing himself off to everyone around him, his grandfather tried hard to get him to come back, but his pushing only led Yugi further away. In the end, Yugi came around, only because Solomon had stopped trying and let Yugi come to _him_ instead.

“I really gave you a hard time, didn’t I?” Yugi chuckled, giving his grandfather a sympathetic look.

“That’s stating it lightly, really,” Solomon joked, winking back at his grandson. “I tried so hard to win your approval and to get you to come out and talk about your parents, but it was only after I realised I had done all I could on my side and that it was your turn to react, that you came around and became the grandson I know and love today,” Solomon smiled.

Yugi gasped in mock offense. “You mean you didn’t love me before that?” He asked. Solomon got up, taking his bowl and putting it in the sink, ruffling his grandson’s hair in the process.

“You were always a difficult child to love,” he joked. Yugi laughed, his eyes widened at the joke his grandfather just made.

“Rude!” He got up, also putting his bowl in the sink. He turned and put his arm around his grandfather, giving him a side hug.

“Thanks for everything you’ve done, Grandpa,” he said affectionately, and Solomon reciprocated.

“Thanks for everything _you’ve_ done, Yugi,” He said.

“I still miss mom and dad,” Yugi said quietly.

“As do I. And I think we always will,” Solomon said thoughtfully. Yugi hummed in agreement.

All of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Yugi and Solomon furrowed their brows in confusion, for it wasn’t at the front door where the sound emanated but the back door.

“Why would someone be at the back of the house?” Yugi questioned, and his grandfather shrugged at him. He opened the door and gasped, his eyes going wide.

He was there, standing at the door. Soaked to the core from the rain and shivering with the cold. His eyes almost lifeless, a dim but fading light within them, red and shining. Hair and clothes that showed he hadn’t maintained himself and his appearance in a long time. A duffel bag around his shoulder, two crumpled and wet letters being held tightly in his hand. Yugi could feel his heart beating hard in his chest, his eyes brimming with tears at the sight.

“Oh my God,” Yugi could barely get out, the words coming out in a faint whisper and betraying the shock at this situation.

Seto Kaiba was standing at the door.


	2. Year One - February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all is lost, is it possible to rebuild life in a way you never thought possible?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone and welcome to chapter two!
> 
> This chapter is kind of sad and a bit harrowing, I hope you don't find it drags too much. 
> 
> Death changes people. In the midst of it happening, characteristics can shift slightly, causing someone to act out of their normal standard. I only say this because you might be a little shocked by the out of character-ness of some characters in this chapter. All the same, I think it is a pretty enjoyable chapter.
> 
> Hopefully chapter 3 will be up soon! Enjoy!

Yugi felt paralyzed as he stood at the back door, his hand glued to the doorknob and his mouth hanging slightly open. He didn’t know how to react, having Seto Kaiba standing there in his disheveled but breathing state. After sending Kaiba the care package, Yugi had a momentary thought that this would occur, but shrugged that idea off as ridiculous. Now that the thought was realized right in front of him, he had no idea what to say, let alone how to react.

Fortunately his grandfather was standing right behind him. Coming up to the door, he put a hand on Yugi’s shoulder and smiled at Kaiba.

“I…The letter…I thought I could..” Kaiba sputtered, looking both uncomfortable and overwhelmed as the rain continued to pour on him. Still he clutched the letters tighter, shoving them slightly towards Yugi and Solomon. His eyes begged silently for their understanding, his strong façade fading slowly.

“Of course, Kaiba. Why don’t you come in out of that rain now; you’re soaking wet. Yugi,” he said, gently shaking his grandson’s shoulder to snap him out of his reverie, causing Yugi to stare at him wide-eyed, “Why don’t you run to the kitchen and prepare us all some tea?”

Yugi nodded, giving one more stare towards Kaiba, before walking off quietly to the kitchen. Solomon moved to the side and held the door open, letting Kaiba come in. He stepped in slowly, softly placing his duffel bag on the ground and taking his shoes and coat off. Trying hard not to get water all over the house, he elicited a laugh from Solomon, who waved nonchalantly at him.

“Don’t worry about my carpets, Kaiba. I’m sure they’re older than you,” He joked, although the boy in front of him remained silent.

Suddenly a towel was shoved in front of his face and he looked beyond it to find Yugi staring at him, cheeks slightly red.

“There’s a shower down the hall, if you want to clean up and make yourself more comfortable. Right next to the bathroom you’ll find our guest bedroom, where you can put your things. Take as much time as you need, the tea can wait for you,” Solomon smiled, and Yugi could see the faintest traces of confusion etch Kaiba’s features. He nodded in thanks, grabbing his duffel bag and proceeding to the bathroom silently, his body slightly slumped in resignation.

Going to check on the kettle, Yugi could hear Solomon close the back door, followed by the squeak of a chair as he sat at the kitchen table and turned on the television. At the sound of the news he turned around, a gasp leaving his lips as he found himself staring at Kaiba’s mansion. Cars surrounded the entrance gate, people with cameras posed at the ready for a snapshot of the elusive millionaire. Butlers that once secured the inside were now forcing people away outside, an air of total chaos abounded.

_As we can see from this aerial footage, the media stay poised at the ready for any sign of Seto Kaiba, who has not shown his presence in over two weeks. No new information is known about his current location or predicament, and so we wait for updates. Until then…_

Yugi could feel his heart drop at what was unfolding in front of him. Kaiba had just lost his brother, the person most important to him, and yet the media were turning this tragedy into a circus! Didn’t they care about the person they were searching so hard to find?

“They don’t care..” Said softly, as if reading Yugi’s mind, Kaiba lingered by the hallway as he also took in the news in front of him. Freshly washed and already looking livelier than before, Yugi noticed traces of hurt running through his facial features and sighed sadly. He ran to the television and turned it off abruptly, much to the shock of his grandfather and Kaiba.

“You can stay here as long as you need to,” He said, the sympathy and anger both lacing his words. Kaiba and Solomon both looked at him, eyes wide at the sudden outburst. Solomon smiled at the generosity of his grandson, and stood up, handing Kaiba a mug of tea.

“You can stay here as long as you need to,” he echoed the words of his grandson, and eyes filled with thankfulness stared back, words unspoken.

~

Rain continued to pound the windows throughout the night and into the next morning, rendering Yugi’s weekend eventless. The smell of bacon wafted through the air as Solomon prepared breakfast, and Yugi poured orange juice into mugs, licking his lips as the scent entered his nostrils.

“I’m starving!” He shouted, rubbing his stomach to emphasize his point and placing three sets of dishes on the table in preparation. His grandfather put the cooked bacon on a plate nearby, getting started on the omelets.

“I know you are. Go see if Kaiba is ready to eat,” Solomon directed, swatting Yugi’s hand away as he tried to pick some bacon off of the plate.

“Will you go get him?!” he scolded playfully, and Yugi stuck his tongue out at his grandfather.

Walking down the hall to the guest bedroom, Yugi frowned at the prominent silence, realizing that the door to Kaiba’s bedroom was closed shut. Going up to the door, he knocked on it gently, waiting for a response but not getting one. He knocked a little harder this time, but still there was no answer.

“Kaiba? Are you awake? Are you alright?” Yugi asked, his brow furrowing in slight concern.

No answer.

Knocking one last time and getting no answer still, he sighed in resignation, placing a hand on the door and straining to hear any movement. His ears met with no sounds.

“Well, breakfast is ready if you’re interested. We can wait for you to get ready, if you’d like. Just say the word,” he trailed off, sliding his hand off the door and starting back towards the kitchen, disappointment evident on his face.

“There was no answer, grandpa,” Yugi said sadly, eliciting a sigh from Solomon as the two sat down to eat their breakfast.

“Obviously Kaiba is still not ready to show himself to us, let alone the world,” Solomon said wisely, shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.

“So why did he come here? Why did he come to us?” Yugi questioned, confusion evident in his tone.

“Because we reached out to him when nobody else did. He simply needs some time to recuperate from the loss, somewhere he can feel safe and not attacked, somewhere with people he trusts –“ Solomon began, but Yugi cut him off.

“Oh, Kaiba doesn’t trust us,” he said matter-of-factly, to which Solomon shook his head in response.

“He trusted us enough to come here, didn’t he?” Solomon said, and Yugi went silent, finally nodding in agreement.

“I guess you’re right. It’s just an adjustment, seeing someone who used to be my enemy suddenly become my..” What was he? A comrade? An acquaintance?

“Friend?” Solomon finished, and Yugi shrugged. He didn’t know _what_ Kaiba was to him.

“Maybe. So what do we do, grandpa? I don’t like seeing him like this, but I don’t know how to help.” Shoving the last of his breakfast into his mouth, he got up and placed his dishes in the sink, grabbing his grandfather’s empty dishes as well. Solomon closed his eyes as he thought about the current predicament.

“We just need to give him time, Yugi. Have patience with Kaiba. You, of all people, know that acceptance and reaching out don’t come right away when someone suffers a loss. They need to process it in their own minds before they can begin processing it with someone else. All we can do is be there for him, and show him we’re there when he’s ready,” he smiled, grabbing some bacon, toast and fruit from the table and placing them on a nearby tray. “Until then,” he continued, pouring juice into a glass and placing it with the rest of the food, “Go and bring this to Kaiba. Chances are the kid is starving, who knows when the last time he ate was.”

Yugi grabbed the tray from his grandfather and smiled his way. “Grandpa, have I ever told you that I think you’re amazing? I couldn’t ask for a kinder, smarter grandfather in my life,” he blushed, moving towards the hallway. Solomon scoffed at him, getting up and going to open the game shop. Jumping as if he forgot something, he turned towards Yugi one last time.

“Oh and Yugi?” He said, causing his grandson to turn around in confusion, “It would be best if, for the moment, your friends don’t know of our…stowaway,” he winked, and Yugi smiled, nodding in agreement.

Going down the hallway once more, Yugi knocked on the door again, holding the tray steady and trying not to drop anything.

“I won’t force you to come out and talk to me if you don’t want to, Kaiba. I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk. But for now, could you at least eat the food? You must be hungry! I’ll leave it here, by your door, if you’d like..” Still no answer was heard, and Yugi gave up, placing the tray on the ground and going about his day as usual.

~

Kaiba could hear Yugi’s voice lingering outside of his door, and yet he remained seated on the floor next to his bed, his will to get up completely dissipated. He couldn’t sleep, the nightmares of recent events plaguing him and causing his mind to stay awake. So he sat on the floor, his limbs heavy and numb, and his mind buzzing with the rush of a thousand thoughts hitting him all at once.

_Mokuba is gone._

_My life will never be the same again._

_Life will never be good again._

_How did I end up here?_

At the last thought he looked towards the door, the voice of Yugi ringing in his ears, the sound of his footsteps as he walked away. The last statement made rattling through his brain, muddling his thoughts ever more.

_“I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.”_

_Why did I decide to come here? Did I really choose to put my trust in Yugi and his grandfather, after all we’ve been through these past few years? Why?_

_Mokuba trusted them.._

A sharp pain coursed through his heart at the last thought, and he inhaled a ragged breath. Biting his trembling lip, he placed his head in his hands and tried to breath, but his breaths came out in shaky sobs.

_Mokuba…_

~

A week had passed and Yugi still hadn’t seen Kaiba come out of his room. His worries for Kaiba’s health were prominent but softened by the fact that the shower was used throughout the night while Yugi was asleep, and the food left at his door was eaten, dishes washed and placed back in their spot by morning. Going down to the game shop to help his grandfather open up, his mood was somber for several reasons.

“Good morning, Yugi,” Solomon said, a look of sympathy on his face. He heaved a quiet sigh, replacing his frown with a grin. “You have some company this morning,” He pointed to the front of the store, where Joey, Tristan and Tea lingered. Yugi smiled, grabbing his coat and running to go out, but was stopped abruptly as he ran straight into Solomon’s arms.

“Try to have a good day, Yugi,” Solomon said softly, and Yugi hugged him back.

“You too, grandpa,” Yugi said, letting go and running out to meet his friends.

“Hey Yugi!” Tea said cheerily, watching her friend come up and high five Joey.

“What’s the plan today, guys?! I didn’t expect you to show up today,” Yugi said, joy rising in his chest at seeing his friends.

“Well, there’s a convention down at the museum today celebrating Duel Monsters and its history dating back to Egypt, so we figured you’d be down to go check it out,” Tristan said, laughing as he watched Yugi and Joey’s faces light up exponentially.

“I guess that settles it then,” Tea laughed, and they all started off towards the museum. All of sudden Yugi turned to go back home.

“This sounds like something K-“ Yugi started, but cut off when he realized who he was talking to and about.

_This sounds like something Kaiba would like._

“Yugi?” Tea questioned, the brows of Tristan and Joey furrowed in confusion. Yugi turned back towards his friends, a slight blush on his cheeks as he did so.

“Sorry guys, I thought I forgot something, but realized I had it on me,” he said in embarrassment, sighing in relief as his friends questioned him no more, and they all headed off to the exposition.

~

“Oh grandpa, it was wonderful! They had thousands upon thousands of cards to look at, presentations about the history, simulations of past duels, including some of mine!” Yugi gushed, the pleasure on his face evident as he shared his adventures from that day over dinner. Solomon listened attentively to everything his grandson said, happy that the day went on without a hitch, and that Yugi was happy at the end of it.

“I’m glad your day was wonderful, Yugi,” Solomon said happily, causing Yugi to suddenly fall silent. Solomon stared at him, an eyebrow raised in question.

“How was your day, grandpa?” Yugi asked quietly, concern etched on his features.

“It was fine, Yugi. The game shop was surprisingly busy for such a beautiful day,” Solomon said, trying not to steer the conversation towards the elephant in the room. Yugi’s expression stated he was having none of it.

“You think I don’t know what day it is, do you?” Yugi asked, his question laced with slight offense.

“Yugi…” Solomon began, but Yugi got up suddenly, his face going red with anger.

“I didn’t forget, grandpa! Why would you try and steer clear of it, when we should be talking about it!” He continued, his voice rising in tone. Solomon stood up, trying to calm his grandson, but Yugi ignored his advances, storming past his grandfather and into his room, slamming the door shut.

~

Throwing himself on his bed, Yugi heaved large sobs as tears rolled down his eyes. He knew it was wrong of him to treat his grandfather the way he just did, but once the pain of the past caught up to him, it grabbed hold and grew stronger. His emotions all over the place, he sat up on the edge of his bed, and the thought hit him suddenly.

_Even after all these years…_

_I know how Kaiba feels right at this moment._

Getting up without really thinking about it, he found himself moving towards Kaiba’s room, still silent with a blanket of mourning. He placed his hand on the door, his mind not really thinking, his heart racing.

“Kaiba…” he started, and his legs could hold him no longer as he sat down against the door, body trembling.

“It was ten years ago today, you know. It was the science fair at school, and I was just about to share my presentation on dinosaurs when the principal came in and took me out of class. I thought I was in trouble, and I begged and pleaded for her to let me go back and finish my work, but she wouldn’t budge. Coming into her office, I saw my grandpa standing there with two police officers. I was so confused and didn’t know what was going on. Grandpa was crying. They told me…they told me…” Yugi tried to get the words out, but suddenly the tears started pouring and his breath hitched. He swallowed thickly and tried to recompose himself.

“They told me there was an accident, and that my mom and dad hadn’t pulled through, that they had passed away. I thought they were joking, and I didn’t understand any of it at first, so I just went with it. But when I got home, I realized that none of this was a joke. I had to pack my stuff up, I had to go with my grandfather, I had to change my whole life. Everything was a blur after that. I didn’t know, as an eight year old, how to process any of it. My mind was numb and confused and my emotions were everywhere. I was angry at my parents for leaving me, at my grandpa for taking me away. I locked myself away, trying to hide from the outside world, despite my grandpa’s best efforts to bring me back in.” He wiped his eyes and nose with his sleeve, standing up once more and staring at the closed door.

“All this to say, I know what’s going through your mind right now, Kaiba, and I’m so, so sorry about Mokuba. It’ll never heal completely, even decades later. You’ll never forget the pain and suffering of it all, but you _will_ move on and live a great life eventually. Everything will go back to normal one day, and you’ll be able to cherish the memories of your brother without crumbling at the thought. I promise you that,” he trailed off on the last sentence as the door opened, and looking up his eyes widened slightly as he stared at Seto Kaiba. Holding the door to steady himself, he looked at Yugi with sorrow and sympathy-filled eyes, streaks shining on his cheeks from tears previously and unwillingly shed.

“I’ve been trying to hold myself together so hard,” Kaiba muttered stoically, and Yugi nodded.

“I know,” was all he said.

“I don’t think I can anymore, though,” Kaiba said shakily, his face slowly crumbling.

“That’s okay,” Yugi said softly, and without pausing to think about it ran up to Kaiba, engulfing him in a hug. He could feel Kaiba tense and thought he might flee at the contact, but suddenly the weight of his body pressed into Yugi, hot tears falling onto his shoulder as Kaiba’s body shook.

“I’m so sorry, Yugi…” was all he whispered as he finally broke down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback always appreciated! Please check out my other work (if it's something that interests you..)
> 
> Thanks everyone!


	3. Year One - March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all is lost, is it possible to rebuild life in a way you never thought possible?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends!  
> Here is chapter 3, please enjoy it!  
> Just a couple of people living life day to day, building relationships along the way ;-)  
> Domestic Yu-Gi-Oh at its finest lol
> 
> Next up = working on chapter 3 of shoot an arrow through my heart, and chapter 8 of slashed and destroyed (gasp!) so keep your eyes peeled :)

The bright sun filtered through the drapes hanging from the window onto Yugi’s face, waking him up from his deep slumber and making him groan sleepily. Checking the clock next to his bed, he flew out of bed when he noticed the time. _Ten o’clock!_ How could he have slept in so late!?

Sitting up in bed, he rubbed his eyes and yawned to try and wake himself up, a smile popping up on his lips as he remembered why he had gone to bed so late the night before. The dam had finally broken, leaving Kaiba open to reveal his pain and suffering to Yugi, who had opened up to Kaiba beforehand. After a good hour of simply mourning their losses together, Yugi’s eyes fell upon Kaiba’s briefcase, and the two of them settled into a quiet night of playing Duel Monsters in order to cheer up.

_I wonder if we’re making a difference,_ Yugi thought, tossing the covers aside and placing his feet into his slippers by the bed. _I wonder if any of this is getting through._

Glancing at his disheveled appearance in the mirror, he shrugged nonchalantly as he made his way down to the kitchen, his mouth watering at the smell of breakfast wafting through the air.

“Grandpa, your cooking smells delicious –“ Yugi started as he entered the kitchen, but was taken aback by the events unfolding before him.

 Solomon was sitting at the kitchen table eating his breakfast and reading the newspaper. Looking towards the stove and the sizzling pans, Yugi laughed incredulously when he saw Kaiba tossing bacon and preparing eggs, his appearance put together and not disheveled as it had been for the past few weeks. His hair washed and his eyes bright, his face held the look of content as he put together plates for both himself and Yugi.

“Hungry, Yugi?” He said playfully, raising an eyebrow at Yugi’s bewildered look. Grabbing the pan and motioning towards the kitchen table with it, he silently asked Yugi to have a seat. Yugi obliged, dragging out a chair and sitting across from his grandfather, who put the newspaper down and raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement of his grandson’s presence. Yugi shot back a look to his grandfather that questioned what was going on, but Solomon chose to ignore it.

“Good morning, Yugi, I hope you slept well,” he said, finishing off his breakfast and getting up to put his plate in the sink.

“I’m so sorry for not being up earlier to catch up grandpa, it was a .. late night,” Yugi said, fumbling for words to explain the situation. Solomon chuckled, turning and leaning on the counter to look at his grandson, a look of amusement on his face.

“I can see that the events of last night have changed the air in this place, which is always nice,” he laughed, motioning towards Kaiba and the stove in fake shock. Kaiba smirked, a blush forming on his cheeks as he looked down at what he was doing, saying nothing.

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to just talk about things, you know,” Yugi said softly, skirting around the emotions felt last night, trying not to give away too much to his grandfather. Solomon nodded knowingly, not pressing it further, knowing the sentiments that were shared between the two boys. He was just happy to see everything was getting better, and that wounds were beginning to heal. Heaving a sigh of happiness, he placed a hand on Kaiba’s shoulder, squeezing it affectionately and giving him a smile.

“Thanks for breakfast, Kaiba. But for now, I must leave you guys and go off into the real world, where things aren’t handed to me,” he joked, earning a soft chuckle from Kaiba and a nod of recognition. Walking by Yugi and ruffling his hair, he grabbed his coat and made off for the game shop.

“Have a good day, Grandpa. Try not to let the kids walk all over you today!” Yugi shouted jokingly behind him, Solomon giving him a look of mock disdain as he left.

The door shut leaving Kaiba and Yugi in the kitchen together, the silence heavy but not awkward. A plate was placed in front of Yugi, filled with eggs, bacon and toast. Yugi licked his lips and dug in, looking up quickly as he heard a snort of amusement. Kaiba was watching him, his knife and fork poised to begin eating his own breakfast, the smirk on his face causing Yugi to stick out his tongue in retaliation.

“Since when do you cook, anyways? Don’t you have maids that do that for you?” Yugi said playfully, causing Kaiba to roll his eyes at the statement.

“I’m rich, I know, you don’t need to tell me twice,” he stated drily, and Yugi hummed in agreement. “But I do like to cook, you know,” he added softly, bowing his head and shoving food into his mouth, cheeks flushing red. Yugi raised an eyebrow at his sudden reclusiveness.

“What?” Yugi questioned, but Kaiba simply shook his head in response. Not giving the matter up, Yugi stared Kaiba down, waiting for an answer. Sensing his stubbornness, Kaiba sighed, putting down his fork and staring Yugi in the eyes.

“I don’t tell people about myself, you know. It’s just not something I do,” he said seriously, his brow furrowing as if frustrated at his sudden openness towards Yugi. Yugi smiled softly, shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.

“There’s a first time for everything, you know,” he responded, and Kaiba scowled, causing Yugi to laugh.

“I don’t know that I like it,” Kaiba said, his face breaking into a grin at Yugi’s continued chuckling. A moment of silence passed between the two as they continued to finish their breakfast. Kaiba sighed suddenly, causing Yugi to look up in question.

“I used to make Mokuba breakfast all the time,” Kaiba said softly, his eyes suddenly shining due to the emotion swirling in his chest. Yugi placed his fork gently on the plate, looking at Kaiba with a look of sympathy and concern. Watching Kaiba slowly retreat into his pain made his heart hurt and he stood up suddenly.

“Your breakfast was really good, Kaiba, thank you!” he sputtered awkwardly, causing Kaiba to snap out of his reverie and give him a smile of appreciation and thanks. Getting up, he placed his and Kaiba’s dishes into the sink and began to wash them. A second pair of hands suddenly came up next to him, grabbing a towel to begin drying dishes, but Yugi pushed him away.

“No, you’re not helping!” Yugi stated, and Kaiba gave a look of mock offense. “You cooked the breakfast; it’s my duty to clean up after. Go help my grandpa or something,” he said, waving aimlessly towards the game shop, causing Kaiba to scowl and hit him playfully with the towel before heading towards the game shop.

“Hey Yugi?” he heard Kaiba ask, and he turned around to see Kaiba standing in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow in question, curiosity piquing him as he witnessed Kaiba fidgeting slightly and fumbling for the right words.

Sighing gently, Kaiba looked up at Yugi and smiled, and for the first time Yugi could see happiness reflecting back in his eyes.

“It’s getting better, I think. Thank you,” was all he said, turning to head towards the game shop, cheeks pink. Yugi turned towards the sink once more, a weight lifted off his shoulders that he didn’t realize existed until now.

~

Coming into the game shop to help his grandfather set up before they opened for the day, Yugi went up to Kaiba and Solomon, who were leaning over the counter looking at something. Craning his neck to see what it was, he could see Kaiba running his fingers over a box containing new gaming equipment from Kaiba Corp. Yugi could tell that Kaiba felt comfortable in this setting – his body was relaxed, his face glowing with happiness, his smile evident. This was Kaiba’s passion, where he could forget all of his problems and enjoy himself.

“So what do you think of this?” He asked Solomon and Yugi, motioning towards his product. Solomon picked it up gently and put it back on the shelf, turning and giving Kaiba a thumbs up.

“It’s our new bestseller. The people love it so much, I never carry enough to fill the demand,” Solomon chuckled, and Kaiba’s face broke out in joy.

“I’ll make sure I get you enough to supply as many people as needed,” he said seriously, walking around the store and looking at the other products. Taking a game station off of the shelf from another company, he scowled, bringing it to Solomon.

“Not just because they’re my competition, but out of concern for this shop of yours,” he started, dropping the box on the counter, “this product legitimately sucks,” he finished abruptly, causing Yugi to choke and Solomon to burst out laughing.

“And why’s that, Kaiba?” Solomon said, goading his enthusiasm for the gaming world.

“It’s been recalled two times already. It breaks down after like, two months of use. And I’ve tried the games,” he stated, a smirk forming on his face, “they’re not fun.” Yugi couldn’t suppress his laughter at Kaiba’s honest harshness, causing Solomon to join in as well. Suddenly all three were laughing as Solomon took the product and threw it in the backroom, rubbing his hands in accomplishment.

“I’ll take your word for it, but you better be right or you’re going to owe me a lot of money,” Solomon joked, winking at Kaiba.

Going up to another product, Kaiba gasped in shock as he picked it up. “Now this,” he said in awe, “is a product I wish _I_ had invented.” Going up to Kaiba, Yugi took the product from him. It was a portable Duel Monsters board, complete with technology simulating the monsters summoned in real time.

“Being able to see your cards fighting each other no matter where you are, it’s genius,” he said, and Yugi frowned.

“You know who created this, right?” he asked softly, and Kaiba nodded.

“Pegasus,” he said, placing the object back on the shelf and shivering slightly.

“For what it’s worth,” Solomon quipped from behind the counter, causing Kaiba and Yugi to turn towards him, “he speaks very highly of you every time I speak to him,” he continued, causing Kaiba to scoff in disdain.

“I hope I never have to see him or speak to him again, even if his products _are_ genius,” he said, and Yugi nodded in agreement.

Suddenly the bell for the shop rang and Solomon squinted in confusion, since the store was not open yet. The sounds of yelling and laughing could be heard, and before they knew it Tea, Tristan and Joey had barged in.

“Yo Yugi, Gramps, how’s it going today –“ Joey began, but the three of them froze completely at the sight of Kaiba standing in front of them.

“Kaiba?” Tea questioned softly, the confusion evident in her tone of voice.

“What the heck is he doing here?” Tristan growled, and they all looked to Yugi in confusion.

“And he looks so…lived in!” Joey finished, and Yugi could feel his heart thumping as the panic began to set in. What would he say to his friends, since he had been lying this entire time?

Kaiba, who had stiffened at being seen by Yugi’s friends, gave Yugi a quick wide-eyed stare before running off inside the house without another word. Solomon came out from behind the counter and quieted down Yugi’s friends, who were continuing to question what was going on.

“Cut Yugi some slack, kids – I was the one who told him to keep quiet about it,” he said, causing Joey, Tristan and Tea to quiet down and pay attention. Yugi motioned for them all to sit down, joining them on the floor and sighing as he tried to find his words.

“I’m so sorry guys, for keeping this from you. Clearly Kaiba didn’t want to be found by anyone, and you were no exception,” he rubbed his palms on his legs, trying to calm his nerves. “Kaiba came to us in January –“

“January! Two months now?!” Tristan yelled in shock, but Tea smacked him in the shoulder.

“Will you shut up and let Yugi speak!?” she snapped, and Tristan smiled sheepishly in apology.

“He came to us in January, so broken and defeated, and grandpa and I vowed to try and help him in any way possible. I wanted to tell you guys about it, I really did! But it wasn’t my story to tell, and I knew Kaiba wanted it to stay under wraps. So please,” Yugi pleaded to each of them, “please don’t tell anybody else. He’ll come back to the world when he’s ready.”

Everyone was silent as they considered the situation at hand. Their faces belied the hurt at being left out of the loop, and anger was clearly visible on their features.

“You know how I feel about Kaiba, Yug,” Joey said quietly, and Yugi nodded, dreading what was coming next.

“He’s a scumbag of the highest kind,” Tristan added, and Yugi’s heart dropped.

“But he lost his brother guys, and for that we should have some empathy,” Tea added in, and Yugi was thankful for the kindness she always exhibited.

“Mokuba _was_ our friend, that much is true. I guess maybe we owe it to him to be accepting of what’s going on. Doesn’t mean I like it, though,” Joey added, scowling at Yugi, who gave him a thankful smile.  Tristan sighed in resignation, and shrugged in acceptance. Tea smiled and put a hand on Yugi’s shoulder in reassurance.

“If you need something, we’re here to help,” she said, and Yugi gave her a thumbs up.

“I wouldn’t go that far, Tea,” Tristan said, smirking.

“Yea, we still don’t like the guy. It’s not like we’re going to become friends and hang out or something,” Joey laughed, slapping Yugi on the back. “You’ve really gotten yourself in deep with this one, Yug. Good luck,” he joked, winking and Solomon who shook his head in mock disapproval. “Now are you coming or what? Did you forget we were checking out that new restaurant in town?” Yugi jumped up at the question, slapping his forehead and cursing his forgetfulness.

“I totally forgot! I guess you could say I’ve been..busy,” he joked, and Tristan and Joey rolled their eyes playfully.

“You don’t say,” they said in unison, causing everyone to laugh.

~

The day had been a long but fun one. After checking out the new sushi restaurant in the middle of town and eating enough to sustain a third world country, the gang migrated to a large park where they took in the sights and enjoyed each other’s company. The Kaiba situation was brought up several times, and Yugi tried his hardest to give some insight into the situation and help his friends understand, but still their views did not budge.

_“I still don’t understand why you would go out of your way to help a guy like that, Yug,” Joey said, frowning as he threw a rock into the lake in front of them._

_“Especially after all he’s done to us over the years,” Tristan added, trying to beat Joey’s distance as he threw his own rock._

Yugi frowned as he walked home. _How could I make them understand?_ His thoughts flashed back to that first day, with Kaiba standing on the doorstep, asking silently for help. _How could I have said no?_

Upon return to the house, Yugi could see his grandfather closing up shop, and walked in with a big sigh.

“Well that doesn’t sound too good. What’s troubling you, Yugi? Could it be your friends?” Solomon said in a knowing fashion. He sat down and patted the seat next to him, inviting Yugi to tell him about his troubles. Yugi obliged, throwing himself on the chair and groaning loudly.

“Did we do the right thing, Grandpa?” Yugi questioned, not needing to specify further. Solomon looked at Yugi in confusion before nodding and looking away.

“You already know the answer to that question, you know,” he said, and Yugi hummed in agreement.

“I guess I just wanted someone else to say it out loud,” he chuckled, and Solomon squeezed his shoulder affectionately.

“Kaiba is a good person inside, Yugi, even though your friends might not see it. But _you_ do, and I do, and this is the only thing that matters,” Solomon said, smiling down at his grandson. Yugi smiled back at him and nodded, getting up to help pack up the rest of the shop.

Entering the house, the aroma of supper flowed through the house and Yugi stopped to find Kaiba once again at the stove. Chuckling, he didn’t question it, instead setting the table quietly as Solomon went to change into another set of clothes.

“Seems we have a chef in the house now,” Solomon said, leaning on Kaiba’s shoulder and looking at what was cooking on the stove. “Maybe I should keep you here forever,” he laughed, but stopped as he felt Kaiba stiffen slightly, dropping the pan gently on the stove and freezing up.

“Kaiba? What’s going on?” Solomon asked in concern, causing Yugi to turn and look as well.

Kaiba turned to him and Yugi, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. His fingers fidgeted with his jacket, his facial features flushed and his brow furrowed.

“You’re starting to scare me now, Kaiba,” Yugi said seriously, coming up to him and shaking him slightly. Kaiba let out a shaky breath, finally finding his words.

“I don’t want to be a burden on you guys. You’ve taken care of me for almost 3 months now and for that I am eternally grateful. But I feel like I’m overstaying my welcome and..” he trailed off, and Yugi couldn’t help but interrupt.

“You’re not, Kaiba! We’re happy to have you here!” he shouted, and Kaiba gave him a small smile of appreciation.

“It’s just, to be honest…I’m not ready to go back yet,” he said softly, and Yugi could see his eyes begin to shine, the emotion rearing its head again. Solomon nodded, urging him to go on.

“I would never expect you to say yes, after all you’ve already done for me. I don’t know what I could offer you, I have money or an unlimited amount of game disks for your shop, or –“ he rattled off, slowly slipping into his own head, but Solomon held up a hand, cutting him off.

“Enough, Kaiba,” he said abruptly, causing Kaiba to fall silent. Solomon smiled, gesturing to the house around him.

“My house is now your house. You have not overstayed anything, nor do you owe us anything. You’ve been a pleasure to have, and you can stay as long as you’d like, or as long as you need to. Whatever you feel comfortable with. The guest bedroom is yours for as long as you live,” he said, chuckling, and Yugi grinned joyfully.

“Really, Grandpa!?” Yugi said, elation at the news spreading through him. He could see Kaiba steeling his features, trying to hold back the emotion he was feeling, but it could not hold his lip, which was trembling slightly. Turning back to the pans of food which were on the brink of burning, he choked back a sob, pretending to cough instead.

“I don’t know what to say but…thank you,” he whispered, and Solomon smiled, going to sit down at the table.

“Now where’s my food then? If you’re going to stay, I expect some good dinners once in a while,” he joked, winking at Yugi, who turned to see Kaiba laughing, the emotion still thick in his tone of voice.

_This is the side of Kaiba that nobody gets to see. How lucky that I get to witness it! Who knew he could express such emotion and feelings?_

“You can have all the homemade meals you want,” he said, grinning at the cheers coming from both grandfather and grandson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and feedback always appreciated!  
> make sure to check out my other work if it interests you :)  
> Thanks everyone!


	4. April - Year One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI FRIENDS!  
> Wow! It has been a hell of a long time since I last posted on here, let alone on any of my fics. The past few months have been crazy for one reason or another, and I had suffered what you would call a SEVERE case of writer's block. I had no inspiration for months and months. But suddenly I had the urge to write again, and so here we are!
> 
> I am so sorry for the long wait between chapters. I will try to never let that happen again. I have had the layout for the entire story for years now, and now I have a plan of execution so hopefully we can continue at a decent pace. This story is going to be full of ups and downs, and it's not necessarily going to be a happy one (I love angsty fics you know!) but I hope you will continue on and enjoy it regardless.
> 
> I know that Kaiba might not seem fully in character at times in this fic, but please realise this: Death changes a person. Time changes a person. A lot can change in a relationship between two people in such a short amount of time, and so yea. Just thought I'd throw that out there in case you were like wtf upon reading this haha
> 
> Thanks so much for your patience, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> I will be trying to update my other stories as well as time goes on, so keep an eye on those!
> 
> Thanks again!

               “ _Shares of Kaiba Corp have fallen significantly as shareholders fear that the disappearance of Seto Kaiba could impact the company’s property in the long run,”_ the news reporter stated, and Yugi could clearly see the Kaiba estate behind her. It didn’t look different per se, but it did look empty and cold, as if life hadn’t resided there in a while. That was only _half_ true – the lawn was tended to and the windows cleaned; the house properly maintained by the butlers residing within it.

                But the true life force of that house just happened to be sitting there next to him, staring blankly at the television screen as he crunched his toast, his pyjamas revealing a different, domestic side to Kaiba that Yugi had never seen before this ordeal began.

                _It’s amazing how death can completely change a person,_ he thought, wondering as he stared at the oblivious boy in front of him. _I think it’s for the better, if I’m being honest,_ he mused, his face turning red as Kaiba turned to see him staring.

                “What?” he asked, but Yugi just shook his head. Raising an eyebrow, he turned back to the news, and Yugi found his fists clenching as the news reporter continued her monologue.

                “It’s not clear if Seto Kaiba will ever return or even if his former glory days will come back if he does. For now, the world can only wait and see when the prodigy will return,” she said, and the news segment ended. Yugi could hear Kaiba chuckle at his angered state.

                “That offended, are you? And on my behalf, I’m flattered,” Kaiba joked and although Yugi silently rejoiced at how far Kaiba had come emotionally, that he was now able to easily converse with his once-rival and even call him a friend, he still gritted his teeth.

                “They’re intruding on your business when it isn’t theirs!” Yugi growled, but Kaiba simply shrugged.

                “So what? I don’t care,” he said nonchalantly, causing Yugi to furrow his brow.

                “But they’re smearing your brand without even realizing it!” Yugi exclaimed, sighing in frustration when Kaiba shrugged again.

                “Not my first rodeo, Yugi. You think they haven’t trashed me before? They’re all leeches, anyways,” he said, motioning as if to wave them away. Yugi crossed his arms and huffed.

                “It’s not right,” he said, causing Kaiba to chuckle into his cup of coffee.

                “Aren’t you a cause for justice this morning?” Solomon joked as he entered the kitchen, ruffling Yugi’s hair as he did so. “Don’t listen to a word, Kaiba, they know not what they say,” he said wisely, and Kaiba nodded.

                “Maybe I should give it all up anyways,” he said suddenly, and the room went silent.

                “You’re joking, right?” Yugi questioned, breaking the silence. Kaiba stared at him in question before sighing.

                “I’ve exhausted my ideas, given all I have for more than a decade. What’s left for me there?” Kaiba said, a note of sadness permeating his tone. Solomon turned and stared at him, his eyes searching Kaiba’s for the truth.

                “That’s Mokuba speaking,” he said softly, and Kaiba stared at him in shock, eyes wide and shining.

                “Grandpa?” Yugi questioned, shocked at his grandfather’s sudden bluntness.

                “Without him you’re drifting, inspiration faded, because he was the one who pushed you to go on. Without him, you’re not sure you can continue to inspire and create. Without him, you’re not sure you have reason to.” As if this truth were hitting him hard, Kaiba looked away, frown evident on his face. Solomon walked up to Kaiba, putting his hands on the boy’s shoulders.

                “But Kaiba,” he said, and the boy looked at him once more. “You’re not done yet,” he said simply, and for the first time in a while Kaiba actually felt convinced.

~

                As they walked into Kaiba’s room, Yugi leaned on the door frame, watching Kaiba with concerned eyes. Kaiba threw himself on his bed and moaned, tossing a hand dramatically over his eyes.

                “Was Grandpa right?” Yugi asked carefully, and Kaiba turned his head towards the spiky-haired boy. Sighing, he looked towards the ceiling.

                “Kind of,” was all he said, and Yugi hummed in question. Frowning, Kaiba sat up, the movement of his hands as he did so accidentally knocking a container off of the bed onto the ground. Spilling out of it were piles of trading cards, their colours mixing with the patterns of the rug underneath. Groaning in frustration, he jumped off of the bed to pick them up, only to be met with Yugi’s eyes, their faces close as the boy stared at him in question.

                Looking away, he began to pick up the cards and place them back in the box, Yugi helping him silently to do so. Suddenly Kaiba was met with a small giggle and looked up to see Yugi holding out one of his trading cards. Giving him a strange look, Kaiba took the card from him and felt a small laugh escape his own lips – it was Saggi the Dark Clown.

                “This card made my life a living hell back in the day, and it’s just a weak and stupid clown now!” Yugi laughed, piling up the remaining cards on the floor into a pile. Kaiba shook his head disapprovingly of Yugi’s statement but a small smile still remained on his lips as he put Saggi back in the box.

                “You’re just disappointed that I was a better duelist at the time and did something you didn’t see coming,” he goaded, causing Yugi to gasp in mock shock, swatting Kaiba playfully on the shoulder.

                “What a liar! Clearly we all know I’m the better duelist of the two of us! I have card skills that you only _dream_ of having!” Yugi exclaimed playfully, sticking his tongue out at Kaiba, but Kaiba just looked at him in mock sadness.

                “Maybe you have the skills of an amateur duelist, but you’ll never be as creative in execution as I am! The I plays that I’ve created, the ways I’ve invented to enhance the experience of dueling –“ Kaiba stopped abruptly, his playful façade fading slightly as he looked at Yugi in happy exasperation, it only increasing when he saw the grin on Yugi’s face.

                “You’re right, Kaiba,” Yugi said seriously, “I could never hope to be as creative as you are,” he started, getting cut off by Kaiba’s defeated sigh.

                “You little bugger..” Kaiba said softly.

                “Which is why Kaiba Corps still needs you,” Yugi stated gently, holding out the rest of the cards for Kaiba to take. “It’s why we all still need you…Duel Monsters just isn’t the same without your presence,” he said sincerely, and Kaiba could feel his throat tighten slightly as he tried to swallow the emotion that had suddenly cropped up. Coughing to mask it, he reached out and grabbed the cards, placing them back in the box before sighing once more in defeat.

                “You were trying to get the conversation to go here, weren’t you?” Kaiba asked, glaring at Yugi playfully before pushing him down onto the ground. “Jerk,” he mumbled, but the smile had returned on his lips. Yugi chuckled and sat up once more, looking at Kaiba expectantly.

                “All because of that stupid clown,” Kaiba cursed, motioning to the Saggi card that had now taken place on the bottom of the pile. Yugi smirked at him.

                “Don’t even know why you still have that card,” he teased, to which Kaiba just scoffed, placing the bin back on the side table and getting up. Yugi followed suit, pushing himself up and sitting on Kaiba’s bed, staring at him.

                “Yugi…” Kaiba started, and Yugi was taken aback at how uncomfortable he sounded. Kaiba sat next to him on the bed, his hands clenched tightly into fists, his brow furrowed. “What if I go back there and can’t work like I used to? Be like I used to? What if I go back and have nothing left to contribute? What if –“ Kaiba started, a slight hint of panic in his voice, but was cut off by Yugi grabbing his arm.

                “Kaiba, shut up!” Yugi exclaimed, causing Kaiba to jump slightly. “You’re Seto Kaiba, remember?! You’ve been creating a legacy for years now, and you haven’t stopped inventing. Each new invention brings more and more fans to your company; your products sell out within minutes and every piece of work you put out there is beloved by so many. Kaiba, you are an icon and a role model to so many; you’re brilliant! I don’t think you’d ever run out of ideas, because you’re amazing at what you do..” Yugi trailed off, his cheeks flushed red and his grip loosening as he became aware of his sudden outburst. Kaiba looked at him with wide eyes, his face also red and a look of appreciation on his face. Looking down at his fumbling fingers once more, he sighed softly.

                “But what about Mokuba?” He whispered so gently Yugi almost didn’t catch it. Placing his head on Kaiba’s shoulder, Yugi sighed sadly for his deceased friend, remaining silent momentarily as he tried to find the right answer.

                “I think…I think Mokuba would have wanted you to keep creating. He took such joy in everything you ever made, Kaiba,” Yugi said knowingly, and Kaiba looked down at him, his eyes searching for answers.

                “Do you truly believe that?” He said softly, and Yugi hummed.

                “I truly believe that,” Yugi said, the weight of Kaiba’s arm suddenly felt as it wrapped around Yugi’s shoulders and gave a light squeeze of thanks, a silent answer that was found hanging in the air between them.

~

                “Now, it’s not anything too fancy, but luckily they had just the right size at the shop down the street,” Solomon said, shoving a bag of clothing at Kaiba and urging him to go and try it on. Kaiba smirked as he took the bag, winking at an excited Yugi as he turned to go and get changed. Looking towards the TV, Yugi could see the current news story and ran hurriedly to turn up the volume, his body trembling with excitement and nervousness.

                “ _We have just heard news from the CEO himself, Mister Seto Kaiba, that a press conference is going to be held in the ballroom of his mansion within the next hour or so. Seto Kaiba has been missing in action from his company Kaiba Corps for almost four months now, following the tragic and undisclosed  case of his brother Mokuba Kaiba’s death, but is now set to return today! Who knows what he will reveal in his speech, but stay tuned to find out what exactly is going on!”_ the news reporter exclaimed, a note of excitement in her voice. Yugi chuckled.

                Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened and Yugi turned to see Kaiba standing there shifting uncomfortably, his hair brushed back in a professional manner instead of strewn all over his face. On his body he wore a steel grey suit with a white shirt and matching steel grey tie, black dress shoes pointing out underneath. He looked so professional and so handsome; Yugi could feel his face flush as he looked down at his feet.

                “You look incredible, Kaiba! Quite different from the sloppy young man who has invaded my kitchen these past few months!” Solomon joked, causing Kaiba to laugh and punch him on the shoulder playfully. Solomon padded down the shoulders of Kaiba’s suit jacket and the two shared a smile.

                “I am incredibly proud of you, young man, and I know you will do well today,” Solomon said encouragingly, and Kaiba smiled sheepishly, his eyes belying the thanks he could not say. Looking over to Yugi for help, he smirked playfully as he noticed the boy had frozen and was just staring at him. Kaiba stared back, an air of slight confusion as to what feelings were being expressed between them present around him, until finally a smirk broke out and he poked Yugi on the nose. Yugi sprung back to life, shaking his head and looking at him in silent question. _What was that all about?_

                “Good luck, Kaiba,” was all he said, grabbing the other boy’s hand and squeezing it in encouragement. Kaiba took a large breath and turned towards the back door in order to avoid potential sightings and crowds. He escaped into a limo hiding nearby, wishing to conceal exactly where he had been these past few months; wanting the newfound relationships he had with Yugi and Solomon to remain private and his own.

~

                It was all so familiar and yet so distant to him. Walking into the mansion for the first time since Mokuba’s death, Kaiba could feel the cold air around him, his breathing suddenly ragged and quick. He didn’t want to stick around and reminisce right now; he had a bigger job to finish. Ignoring the rooms that once held the life of his brother, he turned on his heel and made a dash for the ballroom, bracing himself for the words that were going to be spoken and the assumptions that were going to be made.

~

                “ _It’s been four months since my brother Mokuba died. Four months of hell that I have been living through, knowing that my biggest muse, my only family member, and the only person I have ever loved is now gone from my life. While some of you think I happened to have a hand in his death, this thought is absolutely ludicrous, and you should be ashamed of yourself for even having that thought. How dare you, people who call yourselves reporters, feed off someone who is hurting and mourning the way you have? I should have all of you fired from your jobs… But that’s not why we’re here today. I’m here to show you all that yes, I’m still alive. Yes, I’m working hard to get through this tough ordeal of my life, although I’m not going to tell you how. You all thought that Kaiba Corps was going to become some big joke in my absence, but let me tell you this – my company will be stronger than ever. I’m going to use my new innovations and inventions to better Kaiba Corps and the millions around the world who look to Duel Monsters as their refuge, as their passion, as their way of getting away from all of the hurt this world has to offer. All of your lies and your stories and your assumptions – that’s all they are and that’s all they will ever be. I’m going to show you that you don’t know Kaiba Corps, you don’t know Seto Kaiba, and you certainly do not know what I’m capable of. So stay tuned, for my next development is already under way and will be announced soon. No, I’m not taking any questions today, now get off of my property.”_

~

                “That was incredible!” Yugi shouted into the phone, the soft chuckle of Kaiba on the other end reverberating through his ear. “A little, you know, harsh, but I think they got the message.”

                “I honestly don’t remember anything about what I said, how I acted, or even how I looked,” Kaiba laughed, placing his face in his hands. “But damn, I feel so much better.”

                “So what’s the new innovation anyways?” Yugi said, grabbing some chips from the counter and shoving them into his mouth, his smile big as he watched the flurry of news reports flashing on the screen of his television. He raised an eyebrow at the silence on the other end of the phone. “Kaiba?”

                “I made it up..” Kaiba whispered, a note of amusement and nervousness lacing his tone.

                “What!?” Yugi exclaimed, choking on a chip that had gone down the wrong way upon hearing Kaiba’s statement.

                “I kind of got a little ahead of myself in my speech, a little bit overexcited, and said some things that well…they weren’t true,” he snickered, and Yugi couldn’t help but laugh along with him.

                “Whoops,” Yugi said, causing them to laugh like children who’d just discovered a scandalous secret.

                “Hey, thanks for being by my side through this whole ordeal,” Kaiba said genuinely, causing Yugi to go silent.

                “The king Seto Kaiba is thanking the lowly Yugi Moto? Impossible,” he joked softly, but smiled in appreciation. “It’s been my pleasure, Kaiba.”

                “Speaking of that pleasure, I’ve had such a pleasant time that I wish it could continue,” Kaiba said gently, and Yugi hummed in question.

                “What do you mean?” he asked, and suddenly there was a knock at the back door. Running to open it, he was greeted with a familiar steel-grey sight, and he could feel his heart jump with excitement.

                “Kaiba?” he said, still holding the phone to his ear. Kaiba smiled back at him, phone also still to his ear, his face an expression of sheepish questioning.    

                “Have I overstayed my welcome?” he asked softly, almost embarrassedly, and Yugi laughed happily as he hung up the phone and opened the door wider to let his friend in. Kaiba’s eyes shone with something Yugi couldn’t place – a mix of contentment, happiness, peacefulness, thankfulness, maybe even some love. Stepping into the house, Kaiba hung up his phone and embraced Yugi in a giant bear hug.           

                “Welcome home,” Yugi whispered into his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback always appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and likes are always welcome! :)
> 
> BTW, I have NOT forgotten about my other fics. For the TMNT one, I need to really rewatch the series to get in the headspace of those characters again, so that fic is on hiatus. I really want to finish it though, and we're getting to the good stuff, so hopefully I'll have it out sometime in the near future. As for the HTTYD fic, it's my next work, but I'm just trying to find the right words to start it off. I also have an idea for a giant digimon fic - an idea I've had for years, refueled by my love for Digimon Adventure Tri.
> 
> Anyways, hopefully updates soon!


End file.
